By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – One day after SUNY trustees approved a four percent tuition increase for the 2007-2008 academic year, US Senator Charles Schumer appeared at Buffalo State College Wednesday to push legislation that would offer continued relief from rising tuition costs.
With the Democrats assuming control of the House and Senate in January, Schumer said he will push for passage of a bill that would extend a tax deduction for college tuition that expires at the end of the year.
"One of the first things we're going to do when we get back to Washington is to restore tuition deductibility," Schumer said. "We can do it as we did before in a bipartisan way with Republicans and Democrats supporting it."
The tax break allows middle-class families to write off up to $4,000 of college tuition from their taxes.
Schumer said other priorities for the upcoming Democratic Congress include raising the minimum wage and modifying Medicare drug plans.